Innovative Disaster Food Products recognised in 2026 Awards

The winners of the first-ever Disaster Food Awards were announced in early March 2026, which represents another step forward in disaster prepareness, and recoginsing the importance of nutrition during emergencies. Frequent occurrence of earthquakes and the dissemination of disaster prevention information are heightening household awareness of stockpiling, and the awards suggests a variety of options for preparations.

Nominees for the Disaster Food Awards are expected to have developed or manufactured disaster food products that meet specific criteria. These include ease of handling, taste, nutritional value, and reasonable pricing. The products should also be designed to be easily consumed during emergencies, requiring minimal preparation.

The Disaster Food Awards feature seven categories:

• Staple Foods: Products primarily made from rice, bread, noodles, or pasta.
• Main Dishes: Products primarily made from meat, fish, eggs, soybeans, and soybean products.
• Side Dishes: Products primarily made from vegetables, potatoes, beans (excluding soybeans), mushrooms, or seaweed.
• Fruits/Sweets/Drinks: Products such as canned fruits, jelly, biscuits, cookies, chocolate, candy, low-lactose yogurt, low-lactose milk, and sports drinks.
• Special Nutritional Foods/Supplements: Products such as allergy-friendly foods, baby foods, nursing care foods, and Halal-certified foods.
• Frozen/Prepared Foods: Products such as refrigerated and frozen foods, and nutritionally balanced bento boxes.
• Idea Products: Products such as rolling stock and combination kits, including non-food items like heating agents and cooking bags.

To give us an idea of what these products are like, we’ll look at some of the winners. For example in the Special Nutritional Foods/Supplements Category, the “Soft Meal – Tender Canned Food” is designed to be easily consumable by the elderly and those with chewing difficulties. It is a long-term storage food that maintains the shape of the ingredients while being soft enough to be mashed with gums.

Rolling Stock Pickles is one of the winners in the Idea Products Category. This product is designed to be used daily while also serving as a disaster preparedness item. The pickles are made from vegetables grown in the Sen region and are preserved using vinegar, which allows them to be stored at room temperature for approximately one year.

The winners also feature food that serve as meals during disasters. The “Onimochi – Complete Nutrition Rice” won an award in the Main Dishes category, and is designed to be eaten without water or fire, making it ideal for emergency situations. It contains 23 different natural ingredients and can be stored at room temperature for approximately one year.

The Disaster Food Awards seeks to encourage the development and distribution of disaster food products that are not only nutritious and safe but also delicious and accessible. Major manufacturers are expected to strengthen production capacity and develop products with balanced nutrition, despite the industry facing challenges such as shortages of processed rice and rising prices.